Swimming appliance



' March 25,1930. P. J. YOUNG 1,752,051

SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed May 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l nwwfss E5 IN VEN TOR. P0906 d. YOU/VG f/vi n ofk azz ATTORNEYS.

March 25, 1930. P. J. YOUNG 1,752,051

SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed May 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 auwmnmu Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PORUS J. YOUNG, 0F BOMONT, WEST VIRGINIA SWIMMING APPLIANCE Application filed May 19, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in swimming appliances and has as its general object to provide a device by the use of which one, even though inexperienced in swimming,

may, with perfect safety, experience all of the pleasures of swimming and floating.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class referred to which maybe readily applied to the user and which, in its use, will oifer no obstruction to freedom of movement of the body and limbs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming appliance of the class described embodying means whereby it may be operated to propel the user through the water with minimum exertion on the part of the user and with limb motions similar to those performed in swimming, the arms of the user being left entirely free so that the user may guide himself through the water without the necessity of employing any extraneous means for steering.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming appliance of the class referred to which may be readily adjusted as to length so as toadapt it. to be used by persons of different heights, with equal facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming appliance of the class referred to so constructed that, at the will of the user, it may be employed in supporting the body of the user within the water in a swimming position and operated to propel the user through the water, or may serve to buoy the. body of the user in upright position in the water when the user desires to rest.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming appliance so constructed that, without any adjustment, alteration, or substitution of its parts, it may be employed in swimming, in riding ocean surges or swells, in floating upright in the Water, and, as a life preserver embodying propelling means.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Serial No. 279,084.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the swimming appliance embodying the invention, the View illustrating the appliance in use and the user in a swimming posture.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the appliance.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Figure 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 8 is a view partly in horizontal section and partly in plan illustrating the manner in which the bearing for the propellor shaft is mounted.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional View onthe line l010 of Figure 7.

The appliance embodying the invention consists primarily of a float which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and which may be made of sheet metal such for example as aluminum and is of hollow form, the float comprising an oblong body portion 2 the side walls of which are parallel to each other for the greater portion of their length but are arranged in converging relation at their rear end portions so that the said body 2 has a gradually rearwardly tapering rear end portion 3. It will be observed by reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings that the body 2 of the float is of nearly uniform r thickness and that the forward end wall of the body is substantially straight and that it and the side walls are merged on curving lines at the forward corners of the body so that no sharp corners or edges are presented pr, to the body of the user to cause discomfort.

ures 2 and 4 of the drawings that the body 7 2 of the float and its tapered rear portion 3 are disposed at a slight angle with respect to each other, and that the upper surface of the main or forward portion of the body 2 and the rear portion3 thereof is uniformly transversely and longitudinally concaved as best shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, so that the body, as a Whole, will conform snugly and comfortably to the =--user.-

In order that the body 2 of the float may be securely held in proper position against the user so that there can .be no displacement or disarrangement of the float while the appliance is in use, straps 4 are passed through loops: 5 'lecated.-substantzially at the forward corners of the body and are likewise looped through the bails-f snap hooks 7 which are engageable. with loops 8 mounted upon the sides of the body 2 near thetapered rear portion i3' thereof, the. two straps being crossed in rear of the loops 5 and theends of each strap being adjustably connected by any ordinary type of buckle indicatedbythe numeral 9;. At this point, and particularly by reference. toFi'gure 1, itwill be understood that the twostraps may be passed over the shoulders of the user with the 'users. neck extending between the. straps forwardly of their point of intersection or crossing. and with the arms extending between the straps at the opposite sides-of their point ofintersection orcrossing, and the buckles 9' may then be adjusted so as to cause the float to fitagainst the body of the user with the-desired degree of snugnessto insure against accidental displacementor :disarrangement. It will be evident from Figurel ofthedrawings that-the. body 2 ofthe float. is sufiiciently narrow to permit of perfect freedom of movement of the arms of the user and at the same time sufliciently wide to constitute a comfortable support for the upperportion of thebody when the appliance is in' use.

It will. also be evident. at this point that, due

to the; provision of the: snap hooks 7.,fthe straps 4 may be readily engaged" with. and. disengagedfrom the loops .8 and in this man-; ner provision is made for quick I attachment of the appliance to the. user and. removal thereof; I I

. The float. 1. comprises, in. addition. to the body 2, a rear buoyant-section indicated in general by the numeral 10-and comprising hollow sheet metal body 11 which has pref.- erably the formof a parallelogram and is ver tically disposed, the said body 11 being providedat itsforvvard end and lower 'side'with a forwardly extending tubular extension 12 whichis connected by ahi'ng 13 with the apex or. rear end o-fthe extension 3 of' the body2 ofthe floatmnd at this point and by particular refere ce to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that, in the use of the appli-.

ance, the chest and trunk of the user will rest upon the body 2 and its rear portion 3, the buoyant rear section 10 and its extension 12 being straddled by the limbs of the user.

The buoyant rear member 10 of the float serves not only as a means for assisting the user of the appliance toinaintainaprone or swimming position in the. water, in using the appliance in swimming, but it also serves as a support for the propelling means of the appliance which means will now be described. This means comprises a propeller shaft 14 which is journaled for rotation in one end of a cylindrical bearing head 15 and upon which shaft" the propeller blades; indicated by the-numeral 16, are mounted,- it being understood that these blades may be of any desiredtype and connected with the shaft 14 for rotation therewith in any customary manner. A .collar 17 is secured by va set screw 18 upon theforward end portion of the pro pellershaft 14, and a bevel pinion 19 is fixed upon this end of the shaft and meshes with a gear 20 which is in turn fixed upon a shaft 21 which isrotatably journaleddiametrically in a sleeve-extension 22 of'the bearing 15,

the numeral-26 so as to enablethe user of theappliance'to exertmaximum pressureagainst the. pedals, at the same time: flexing the toes so that this force is applied in a natur'al manner. and without any discomfort or inconvenience to the user ofthe'appliance. To insure the greatest comfort and enable the user, of

the appliance to. maintain a foothold upon the pedals, at. all times, .thelateral. marginal portions. oft-he foot pieces 25 are preferably turned up to provide side flanges 27,.and foot st ra-p's28, which are relatively broad, are socuredfat their ends to the flanges 2.7 and are.

bowedoutwa'rdly between -the; flanges so as to extendoverthe instep of. the usersfeeu.

In order that. thebearing member 15. may be s'upportedtogether with its associated parts,

in proper relationto the buoyant rear section 10 of thefloat, an arm 29 is fitted atone end into the forward end of the. sleeve extension 22 of. the bearingjmember 15. and permanently united thereto and is provided at its forward end with a head 30 having corrugatedface against. which is disposed the corresponding 1y formed face. of a head: 31 which is formed at the rear end of an arm 32, a bolt 33 being fitted. throughregistering openings in these heads. andadapted tobe tightened. so asto:pre-* ventrelative rotation oftheheads, it beingbolt the arm 29 may be angularly. adjusted with respect. to the. arm. 32, thefsaid. arm 32be-.

understood at this point that by loosening, the. v

ing preferably rectangular in cross section and being slidably adjustably fitted through guides 3a which are secured to the under side of the bottom of the buoyant rear section 10 of the float, set screws 35 being threaded through the said guides and adjustable to bind against the arm 32 and hold the arm in different positions of sliding adjustment with respect to the said member 10. This adjustment provides for spacing of the foot pedals a greater or less distance from the buoyant body 2 of the float in accordance with the height of the user of the appliance.

By reference to Figures 2 and l of the drawings it will be observed that the buoyant rear section 10 of the float is provided with a rearward extension 36 which is likewise hollow and which is of less height than the body portion of the said section, so that the gear 20 may be housed beneath this extension and the heads 30 and 31, which constitute the adjustable connection between the arms 29 and 32, may be adjusted to assume a position close to the rear end of the bottom of the said section 10 or a distance relatively remote therespect to the arm 32.

In the use of the appliance, the arm 82 may be adjusted so to properly position the pedals, and it will be understood that by rotating the shaft 22 through the actuation of the pedals, the propeller is set in motion and the appliance, supporting the user, will be propelled forwardly in the water, the user being permitted to employ either or both hands in turning to the right or to the left and thus being enabled to control his passage through the water. If the user should become tired or should prefer to ride the waves, it is only necessary to cease the operation of the propeller mechanism whereupon the rear portion of the appliance will lower in the water and the appliance and the user will assume a substantially upright position, the buoyancy of the water float serving to sustain the user in position with his head well above the surface of the water.

It will be understood that by loosening the bolt 33 and angularly adjusting the arm 29, the angular position of the user of the appliance, in the water, may be varied, it being understood that when the arm 29 is adjusted substantially to position in alinement with the arm 32, the user of the appliance will,

, while actuating the pedals, maintain substantially the prone or swimming position shown in Figure l of the drawings. If the arm 29 is adjusted to extend downwardly at a slight angle of inclination, the user will of course assume a more nearly horizontal position in the body of water.

By providing the hinge joint 13, between the buoyant forward or body portion 2 and the rear buoyant portion or section 1.0, the appliance may be readily folded, as indicated in Figure l of the drawings, when it is being carried from place to place.

Having thus described the invention, what- I claim is A swimming aupliance of the class described comprising a float including a buoyant, relatively rigid horizontally disposed body having a concave upper side for disposal against the body of a user, means carried by the body for embracing the body of the user and holding the said buoyant body thereto, a rear vertical buoyant section connected with and supported by the buoyant body and having a rearwardly extending portion, a supporting bracket upon the under side of the rear vertical buoyant section inward of said extension, a bearing supported by the bracket for adj ustment lengthwise with respect to the body, a propeller shaft mounted in the bearing, a propeller upon the shaft, a pedal crank shaft mounted in the bearing, the adjustment of the bearing providing for positioning of the pedal crank shaft with resp ct to the upper portion of the body in accordance with users of different heights, operative connection between the pedal crank shaft and the propeller shaft, and pedals carried by the cranks of the pedal crank shaft at opposite sides of the rear vertical portion of the body, the operative connection between the pedal crank shaft and the propeller shaft being arranged directly below the rearward extension on the rear vertical buoyant section.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PORUS J. YOUNG. 

